Terrance Carrots – Scooby Snack Dilemma

This month’s letter comes from Terrance Carrots from West Adelaide, Queensland. Terrance writes:

Dear Derwood,

It has recently occurred to me that whatever company manufactured and sold Scooby Snacks had the smallest of niche markets possible – one dog. And sure he liked them. He liked them a lot! But surely one dog is not enough customers to sustain an entire business! They must have had overheads; a factory, workers, ingredients, distributors… The list goes on. Unless a box cost about 10 million dollars, how in blazes are they affording to run this enterprise!? In my opinion this documentary series is a complete farce! Your thoughts?

Regards,
Terrance Carrots.

Dear Terrance,

Scooby Doo had numerous flaws. Like, where did these kids live? How did they afford their extravagant travel lifestyle? And importantly, where are their parents? But the show is not meant to be taken completely at face value. Look at the company responsible for the manufacture of Scooby Snacks for example. While the company does exist, the treats are actually common variety cat biscuits re-branded ‘Scooby Snacks’ for entertainment purposes. In fact, the actor who plays Scooby, Ralph Fiennes, apparently does not actually like the treats at all! But his on-screen response to their taste is testament to his amazing acting talent, as is his ability to play a convincing dog. But the show itself is far more interesting than your dull question would allude. Curiously, Scooby Doo was initially not intended for children, instead being marketed as a gritty cop drama as dialogue from the pilot episode indicates:

Shaggy: I’m gonna ask you one last time, Old Man Jenkins. Where’s the deed to the amusement park? Jenkins: (Nervous) I…I told you. I just work the coaster… Shaggy: Alright, if that’s how you want to play… Freddie: Shaggy, no! (Shaggy smashes elderly man in face with pool cue.) Shaggy: Funny, I guess there’s one less amused person in this park. Velma: Jinkies! (All laugh)

Censors took exception to the show’s adult nature but an opportunity was seen and the show re-worked into a delightful children’s cartoon. To appease family groups, the show’s excessive violence and adult themes were replaced by a loveable dog, clothes were put on Daphne, Fred’s use of cursing was reduced by 80% and Shaggy’s insatiable appetite for blood was appropriately replaced by an insatiable appetite for food. His catchphrase was also changed from “Satan’s balls!” to the more popular “Zoinks!”Inaccuracies or not, I prefer to focus on the positives embodied by this wonderful show such as the unbreakable bond between friends, the use of intelligence to solve problems, or the courageous battle of Velma as an obvious sufferer of Down Syndrome. The real mystery here is why can’t people like you do the same?